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LIFE OF M. LE DUCHAT.

authors; and to publish many editions of them, enriched with his own valuable remarks. The works of Rabelais, republished by Duchat at Paris in 1715, in 5 vols. 8vo. are particularly valuable for the perpetual commentary with which he has illustrated the difficult passages of that learned yet often obscure writer. To Bayle Duchat gave great assistance in many of the articles of his Dictionary; as he maintained a close literary intercourse all his life with that profound and sagacious scholar. An enemy to any situation which might interrupt his studies, or harrass his mind by cares and anxieties, Duchat never entered into the state of matrimony. Blessed with a competent fortune, and a good state of health, he divided his time happily between his books and the society of his intimate friends.

DUCATIANA.

JASON MAGNUS and Barth. Socinus, two eminent lawyers of Pisa in the fifteenth century, held frequent disputations on law subjects. One day Jason found himself driven hard by his adversary, and cited a law that he had that moment forged, which turned the dispute on his side. Socinus, not less quick and ingenious than his opponent, served him the same trick. Jason, who had never heard of that law, called upon Socinus to quote the passage. "It stands in the same page with that you just cited," replied Socinus, with great gravity, and without hesitation.

3

MARGUERITE DE VALOIS.

Marguerite de Valois, sister of Francis L

of France, was for many years in the latter part of her life very much employed in religious studies. On her death the following epigram was written*:

Si la mort n'est que séparation
D'ame et de corps; et que la connoissance
De Dieu s'acquiert par élévation
D'esprit, laissant corporelle alliance:
Entre la mort et vie, différence
De Marguerite aucune ne peut être,
Sinon, que morte a parfaite science,
De ce que vive eût bien voulu connoître.

*This affectionate woman undertook a journey to Spain, on the imprisonment of her brother by Charles V. Her speeches to the Spanish ministers, by their good sense and spirit, occasioned the court of Madrid to treat Francis with every respect to his rank. On the return of Francis to his kingdom, he repaid the favours of Margaret with all the tenderness of a brother: and on her marriage with the King of Navarre in 1526, Francis shewed his gratitude with the munificence of a King. As a Queen, the character of Margaret shone with no less splendour. She gave great encouragement to agriculture, and salutary protection to men of learning. She was a patroness of the arts, and ornamented and fortified several towns in her realms. Her compositions in verse and prose obtained her the name, from the writers of her time, of the tenth Muse.

If, when we die, th' unbodied spirit flies, To brighter scenes of knowledge in the skies, Exalted there in faculties and place,

With keener search God's attributes to trace; Go, Margaret, in death your triumph find, Which opes the gates of science to your mind:

Your soul shall there immortal raptures feel, And burn with purer though not warmer zeal.

ON THE USE OF REPUTATION.

Fr. Accoltus d'Arezzo, a celebrated lawyer in the fifteenth century, with the assistance of his servant, purloined several pieces of meat from a neighbouring butcher's shop. Two of his scholars, of doubtful character, were put in prison, as authors of this theft. Accoltus in vain accused himself: it was thought he did so to rescue the young men. When the affair was blown over, and the students set at liberty by paying a certain sum, Accoltus brought plain proofs that he had been the thief. On being asked why he had committed an action so unlike himself, and of which no one would have suspected him, he replied,

he did it to set in a strong light the advantages of a well-established character.

HELIODORUS.

Whoever reads attentively the romance of this author, entitled The Loves of Theagenes and Chariclea, will be convinced that Heliodorus was a Pagan. I consider this writer as prior to Achilles Tatius. The account given of his being a Christian and a Bishop I look upon as altogether fabulous*.

A Venetian asked a Frenchman, in a railing tone of voice, what was the origin of the Salique Law, which his nation held in so much awe. "It was found,” replied the other, very coolly, "on the back of

* An edition of this author was published at Paris in 1629 in 8vo. with very learned notes by Bourdelot. The celebrated M. Huet, in his Origin of Romances, considers Heliodorus as the Homer of romance-writers; that is, first in rank and time. The critics speak of the "Æthiopics" as a romance not more commendable for the beauties of the style than the chastity of the sentiment. Heliodorus lived in the fourth eentury, and was a native of Emessa in Phoenicia,